Dining area.

  True to what Dou Xiangling had said earlier, Count Alistair had sent someone to invite Zi Yi over.

  When Zi Yi was led over to where Count Alistair was, the International Painting and Calligraphy Association’s Chairman was currently speaking. “We only found out yesterday that Miss Zi is a member of China’s Painting and Calligraphy Association.”


  The group of people revealed expressions of surprise at his words.

  Just then, Count Alistair saw Zi Yi making her way over and he smiled amicably as he asked, “Miss Zi, I wonder if you are satisfied with tonight’s dinner banquet?”


  Zi Yi nodded her head and said, “The food here is rather delicious.”


  The group of middle-aged people smiled knowingly.

  Count Alistair said, “It seems like Miss Zi is a frank person. Women generally do not consume any food during such dinner banquets. The food prepared here is for everyone’s consumption and if it is regarded as a display, the host would feel that no one likes the food they prepared.”


  Zi Yi nodded her head in agreement.

  They started to have a discussion on this matter and when those people around them who were deliberately eavesdropping into their conversation felt sour internally. When did Count Alistair ever take notice of such details? It’s clearly because he wanted to prevent Zi Yi from feeling embarrassed!

  In particular, a group of young ladies from noble families who were waiting for Zi Yi to embarrass herself had left the vicinity out of anger and helplessness.

  After they discussed for some time, Count Alistair brought up the purpose of inviting Zi Yi over. “Miss Zi should have heard from others about me. I have a passionate love for paintings and whenever I encounter a great painter, I would wish to request for them to leave a painting behind… I have a presumptuous request. I wonder if Miss Zi could complete a painting for me before leaving Country X?”


  Count Alistair was very polite, and it made others unable to reject him. However, Zi Yi had no intentions to refuse either and said, “Sure. There’s no need to wait until the competition ends. I’ll be able to complete a painting for Count Alistair tomorrow.”


  “That’ll be great.” Count Alistair was extremely excited. He raised his hands for the servants to bring more wine. After Zi Yi took a glass, he raised his glass towards her. “Miss Zi, the painting you completed today is really amazing. I wonder what name you have given it?”


  Zi Yi thought for a moment and said, “It can be called Crossing the Darkness or Looking for Dawn.”


  “Good, good. These two names are very fitting for the artistic concept behind your painting.”


  Everyone praised Zi Yi.

  On the other hand, Dou Xiangling who had not tagged along had her gaze towards Zi Yi’s direction. When she saw that she was having a great conversation with the group of people, the corner of her lips unconsciously curled up.

  Her cousin was the best no matter where she went.

  Just then, a woman came up and asked Dou Xiangling. “Dou, are you really cousins with Zi Yi?”


  “Yes, she’s my aunt’s child.”


  “Wow, you’re pretty amazing yourself and you even have such an outstanding cousin. It’s really enviable.”


  A few other women had also echoed and expressed their envy.

  Just then, a male voice interrupted. “Hi ladies, can I have a chat with Miss Dou alone?”


  Everyone subconsciously turned over to look at the man walking over.

  His slim while suit outlined his slim waist and his neutral appearance along with his aggressive eyes instantly made the group of foreign women fall for him.

  “What a beautiful man.”


  When Meng He heard the word ‘beautiful’, his hands that were hanging by his side clenched tightly and he tried his best not to get angry.

  He looked at Dou Xiangling and said, “Dou Xiangling, there’s something I wish to clarify with you before the end of our competition.”


  Dou Xiangling subconsciously furrowed her brows.

  The corner of his lips curled up and when the other women were going gaga over him, he said, “You can rest assured that I only wish to tell you why I always like to compete with you for the first place. I won’t do anything to you.”


  Dou Xiangling’s frown still remained on her face, even after hearing what he had to say. However, she was indeed slightly curious as to why Meng He would always compete with her. She merely pondered for two seconds and said to the women beside her, “You guys can continue chatting first.”


  She then got up from her seat and followed Meng He to another side.

  While walking, Meng He said, “It’s too noisy here, let’s head outside and talk.”


  Dou Xiangling stopped in her tracks.

  Meng He seemed to have guessed her thoughts and said, “Don’t worry, I just asked the servants around the Count’s house. There’s a garden in their backyard and the guests can go there to take a breather… Or could it be that you’re worried I would do something to you if I bring you out?”


  Dou Xiangling looked at him with that calm gaze of hers. She pursed her lips and nodded her head.

  The two of them continued to head outside.

  When they reached the door, one of the servants even asked, “Dear guests, I wonder if you need anything?”


  Meng He stopped and said to him, “We wish to get some air in the backyard of the Count’s house.”


  The servant nodded and led the two of them towards the backyard.

  Dou Xiangling inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief and felt that she had been too paranoid.

  Under the lead of the servant, they soon arrived at the backyard.

  There was a garden in the backyard and a fountain in the middle.

  The garden was shrouded in the night lights, giving off a hazy beauty.

  Meng He wanted to continue leading her deeper into the garden but Dou Xiangling stopped walking and said, “It’s already very quiet here. We can talk here.”


  Meng He stopped and turned towards her. Seemingly lost in his memories, he said, “The first time I saw your name was on the first semester’s ranking board of scholarships in M.Uni. Originally I thought that I would get the first class scholarship, but I didn’t expect you to surpass me by one point.

  At that time, I felt unjust and specifically inquired about you, only to find out that we were from the same department. Moreover, we took the same course in the second semester.

  Later on, in every competition or examination, the difference between our marks would be very slight. This resulted in my increased attention towards you. At the same time, the thought of wanting to win against you got stronger.”


  When Dou Xiangling saw Meng He’s smile as he said that, she felt an inexplicable sense of panic.

  This man does not seem to be in his right mind.

  Meng He looked at her and an evil glint surged forth from his eyes. “Do you know, in order to win against you, how hard had I worked in the following years? Especially when you would surpass me from time to time, this caused me to feel unhappy.”


  Dou Xiangling’s brows knitted together even more tightly and she had a feeling that Meng He had a mental problem.

  Meng He smiled at that moment, his smile contained an indescribable ferocity. “Following that, I went abroad, due to some reasons, and in those few years, other people would always tell me about your achievements. The capabilities of Miss Dou are surely powerful. The achievements we need to strive for years to obtain, you have easily obtained them.”


  “I earned those achievements on my own abilities. I didn’t depend on the name of the Dou Family.”


  “You didn’t depend on the Dou Family? Don’t you know that as long as your name appears in the circle, everyone would be willing to give you a green light? All just because your surname is Dou.”


  Meng He suddenly approached her.